Living For Tonight
by streepgirl
Summary: Bill tries to deal with the downfall of Galactica while Laura struggles with her illness. They find comfort in each other. Spoilers up to Season 4, No Exit.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

"_I do my thing, and you do your thing. I am not in this world to live up to your expectations, and you are not in this world to live up to mine. You are you, and I am I, and if by chance we find each other, it's beautiful."_

— _Frederick E. Perl_

Chapter 1

"Bill?" She thought she had heard him come in, but maybe she had just imagined it. He seemed to be working more and more these days, aimlessly wandering the ship, soaking in every last moment that he could. She knew it was hard on him, watching Galactica wither away piece by piece. Watching her wither away.

"In here." His voice betrayed the weariness lurking beneath the strong facade.

Laura found him. He was sitting on the couch, uniform jacket partially open, staring blankly at the wall in front of him. There was a small crack coming down from the ceiling.

"Did you talk to Tyrol?" It was more of a statement than a question. She knew about their meeting was this morning, and on some level, she already knew that the inevitable had happened.

"Yeah."

"How'd it go?" Laura took a step further into the room, still keeping a cautious hand on the wall for balance.

"He wants to use cylon technology to fix the ship. Some sort of plaster material. He wants to cover the walls with it. You should see the stuff." Bill snorted under his breath, but Laura could hear the anger start to boil, rising slowly from the back of his throat. "You should feel it on your fingers. It's _alive_…like it's part cylon itself. We put that on the walls and Galactica…she –" his voice cracked and he brought his eyes up to meet Laura's. "She won't ever be the same."

"No. No she won't be Bill. But this is the only way you're going to save her."

He was silent. Leaning back into the leathery cushions of the couch, he sighed and closed his eyes. Laura made her way toward him, trying her best to navigate around the haphazard stacks of books that lined the floor. Finally, she reached him and lifted herself into his lap, legs straddling his torso. He looked up, questioning her motives, knowing full well that she was in no condition for that sort of…physical activity.

Laura smiled, placing a hand against his cheek and gently stroking his craggy skin. She leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on his forehead. Slowly, she worked her way around his entire face, and with each kiss, she could feel the tension begin to drain out of him like water from a bathtub. Their lips met briefly before Laura pulled back. No passion. She couldn't bear to have him wanting something that he couldn't have.

Leaning forward again, she continued with her soft kisses, this time gently tracing his jaw and working her way down his neck. She pushed his uniform jacket down so that that both shoulders were exposed. Nibbling gently, Laura massaged each muscle, using her teeth to do what her shaky hands could not.

She slid forward in his lap and brought him closer. Breasts pushed against his chest, she could feel the slow rhythm of is heart beating steadily beneath her own. Reaching up and wrapping her arms around his neck, Laura ran her fingers through his hair, weaving slowly through the gentle waves. She traced small circles across the back of his head. Relaxing into her touch, his arms slid completely around her waist, and he pulled her closer still, their two bodies melting into one. He breathed heavily against her neck, and she felt several hot tears singe her skin.

All that this man had been through these past couple of years and now this…she knew it was almost too much for him to bear. Perhaps he could survive losing her as long as Galactica was still here, but without the ship, she wasn't sure.

"Bill," she whispered.

"Hmmm?" His face was still pressed against her collarbone. Laura felt his arms heavy against her back, but managed to break through them, bringing herself up into a sitting position. He reluctantly met her eyes, quietly rebuking her for moving away from him.

"Come shower with me," she said. He tilted his head in response, and Laura swore she saw a tiny smile dance across his lips. He moved forward and she slid off his lap, cautiously planting her feet on the ground. Legs wobbling, it took a couple seconds to find her balance. A slight twinge pinged through her right hip, and she winced.

"You okay?" Bill asked, standing up behind her. She reached out her hand in response, letting her fingers entwine effortlessly with his. This was as good as she was going to get. Pulling gently, she led him toward the head. She couldn't give him what she knew he needed, but she could give him this. And maybe, that was good enough.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

They stood in the bathroom facing each other. A goofy smile spread across Laura's face, and suddenly, she felt like a teenager about to kiss a boy for the first time. The feeling made her a little queasy. Bill was already in the process of taking his pants off, and Laura quickly followed suit, unzipping the grey sweatshirt she was wearing and letting it drop to the ground. Cold air swept across her skin sending a slight shiver up her spine.

Bill didn't seem to notice. He was now standing in nothing but his boxers, turning the knobs of the shower back and forth. Water sprinkled hesitantly from the head for several seconds before a constant stream appeared. He let the water splash over his hand, continuing to adjust the knobs until he found the right temperature.

Out of the corner of his eye, Bill could see Laura's sweatpants sliding down her legs. He turned back and took the opportunity to run his eyes up her mostly naked body. She was thinner than he had ever seen her. Clothes that used to be fitted seemed to hang on her fragile frame like sheets across a clothesline. An image of her in New Caprica flashed across his eyes, a red skirt blowing playfully in the wind. Now, she was literally disappearing before his eyes.

Laura giggled. "Admiral, are you checking me out?" Her laugh radiated through him, a clear reminder that she wasn't gone yet.

"I must say Madame President," he responded coyly, "You do have a captivating rack."

She smiled again. "Want a better view?" She reached a shaky hand behind her back.

"Let me do that," Bill said, stepping toward her. Dropping her arms to her sides, she turned around. He easily released the clasp, and the thin piece of fabric slithered down her arms landing in a pile on the floor. Bill's hand slipped across her hip, and Laura pushed her underwear down as well.

"Ready?" he said, holding out a hand.

Bill stepped in first, his large back blocking the water from spraying Laura. Her grip tightened slightly as she followed, making sure her footing was sound before she let go. He closed the curtain behind her.

Laura inhaled deeply. She could almost smell the warmth of the water. A light mist teased her sensitive skin, and the air felt heavy around her. She watched as Bill dipped his head back into the hot stream. The water clung to his hair, plastering it against his scalp. He forcefully shook his head back and forth, sending water droplets flying in her direction. Like a little kid emerging from beneath a waterfall, he grinned wildly as she wiped the water off her forehead. She grinned back.

"Am I going to get a chance to actually stand under the water?" she said, nudging him gently. Taking her by the waist, Bill readjusted their positions so that Laura was now standing under the water. She cringed slightly as the hot droplets prickled against her scalp. A part of her still expected to feel her hair clinging heavily against her back. Nevertheless, the water felt good as it cocooned itself around her sore limbs, slowly ridding her body of the constant chill that seemed to inhabit her bones.

Bill chuckled as he watched her revel in the heat. "Feel better?"

"Much," she breathed, eyes still closed. Bill reached toward the ledge above Laura's head and came back with a partially used bar of soap. He ran it playfully up her arm causing her to jump. She quickly grabbed it from him, rolling its waxy surface between her palms and producing a frothy lather of sparking bubbles.

"Ooops," she yelped, as the bar slipped out from between her fingers and landed with a loud thud on as the shower floor. As Bill bent down to pick it up, Laura quietly admired the tight muscles that seemed to ripple across his back. Standing upright once again, Bill returned the soap to its former ledge. Laura grinned sheepishly and began rubbing her slippery hands across Bill's chest. The further down his body she progressed, the more thorough she became. Stopping briefly at his hips, she let a hand slide playfully across his ass. His body twitched slightly beneath the caress of her fingers. A small stream of soap slipped from Bill's hip, slowly making its way down the subtle curves of his thigh. Laura watched curiously as the tiny river snaked its way across his skin, pausing briefly to switch directions at his knee and ankle before finally skidding across the slick porcelain floor.

Taking advantage of her momentary distraction, Bill stepped forward and let the water wash over his chest. Soap flowed down his body and gathered at the drain below Laura's feet. She looked down at it longingly.

"Your turn," he said, reaching back up for the soap. He tossed the bar gently in his hand and suds soon coated his arm. Moving her out from beneath the current of the water, Bill spread the soap across her chest, letting his hands slide seamlessly across her breasts and down her stomach. She let out a small moan, arching into his touch. He tried his best to ignore the feel of her ribs jutting out against his fingers.

Bill knelt down further, running his soapy hands down her legs, massaging gently as he went. Laura slipped a hand into his hair, and he could feel her fingers tremble slightly. He stood again, moving her back toward the pounding water. Following her into the relentless mist, his lips brushed softly against the bottom of her ear lobe. Laura felt a tingle rush up from her stomach.

"Bill," she squeezed his shoulder.

"Laura, I want to touch you." She tried desperately to hold back her sigh as his lips returned to her neck. Between Bills persistent nudging and the steam laden air, Laura could barely breathe. Her body felt as if it was collapsing in on itself. Bright colors flashed threateningly across the shower walls. She closed her eyes trying desperately to feel nothing more than the weight of Bill's body against her own. Unfortunately, her attempts did little to stop the sensory overload. Every emotion she had suppressed for the past couple of months surged forward, flooding her consciousness to the point of panic. It was all too much. She choked out a quiet sob, tasting the salt of her tears before she even realized they were her own.

Bill pulled her closer to him, and Laura clutched at his back, trying desperately to hold on to his shoulders. Each drop of stung against her back, while the cool breeze from beneath the curtain tickled her feet. Barely able to keep standing, her entire body leaned into his. Her arms were almost numb with heaviness. She let them slide down Bill's back until they rested against the sharp curve of his tailbone.

Bill willingly took her weight in his arms, not bothering to acknowledge out loud Laura's sudden weakness. Adjusting her body against his own, he leaned back against the shower wall. Her arms trailed weakly down his back, and he held on even tighter, refusing to let go. As long as he could stand, she would stand with him.

Laura rested her head against Bill's shoulder and breathed in an intoxicating mix of soap, sweat and rusting metal. It calmed her. Finally, she felt the physical weight of her emotions drain away, and even as the inevitable mental exhaustion seeped slowly into her brain, she felt clarity. There was no longer any grey area. It was all or nothing. And tonight, she had it all. She was alive, and Bill was alive with her.

For years, they had danced around each other; neither one willing to give fully into the other's pull. The game had become normalcy, part of their everyday existence and part of who they were together. But tonight, that resistance had been washed down the drain along with everything else. Tonight, it was just Bill and Laura and the water beating relentlessly against their backs.

**Thanks for reading!**


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